| What is Body Image? 1) How you see or picture yourself. 2)How you feel others perceive you. 3) What you believe about your physical appearance. 4) How you feel about your body. 5) How you feel in your body. Why is a positive body image so important? Psychologists and counsellors agree that a negative body image is directly related to self esteem. The more negative the perception of our bodies, the more negative we feel about ourselves. Being a teenager is a time of major change. Besides the obvious changes in size and shape, teens are faced with how they feel about themselves. Body image and self esteem are two important ways to help promote a positive image. When most people think about body image they think about aspects of physical appearance, attractiveness, and beauty. But body image is much more. It is the mental picture a person has of his/her body as well as their thoughts, feelings, judgments, sensations, awareness and behavior. Body image is developed through interactions with people and the social world. It's our mental picture of ourselves; it's what allows us to become ourselves Body image influences behavior, self esteem, and our psyche. When we feel bad about our body, our satisfaction and mood plummets. If we are constantly trying to push, reshape or remake our bodies, our sense of self becomes unhealthy. We lose confidence in our abilities. It's not uncommon for people who think poorly of their bodies to have problems in other areas of their lives, including sexuality, careers and relationships. A healthy body image occurs when a person's feelings about his/her body is positive, confident and self caring. This image is necessary to care for the body, find outlets for self-expression, develop confidence in one's physical abilities and feel comfortable with who you are. |